“I kind of laugh when people say I should’ve talked him into it,” Parcells told Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. “I wasn’t capable of doing that.”

The league frowned on teams suggesting to underclassmen that they might somehow be welcome, while the floodgates have been thrown open now, with more than 100 early entrants in the draft.

Asked why he didn’t try to back-channel recruit Archie Manning, Parcells replied: “I think they have a pretty good idea of what would’ve happened if they came out.”

“Obviously, we had an interest in a quarterback, so, had he been available, I’m certain he would’ve been very, very strongly in the mix,” Parcells said. “There are times when good fortune strikes, and there are times when it doesn’t.”

The Jets ended up trading out of the top spot that year, and continuing on with Vinny Testaverde instead, and never quite settling it the way they could have.

I bet they did back channel Archie Manning and the answer was we don’t want Peyton with the lowly NYJ outside in the cold with Parcells who would not and will not be manipulated by the likes of a guy like Archie Manning. After seeing what Archie did with the Eli situation you know he was pulling the strings with Peyton. Peyton especially early in his career needed the dome and or warm weather and Archie knew it. Peytons situation was perfect for him ultimately but for Parcells to say he didn’t put hid feelers out on Manning is a complete lie.